Scanning and Capturing Digital Images Using Layer Detection

• US 20110122432A1
• Filed: 11/24/2009
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: NESBITT, Pamela A., DELUCA, Lisa Seacat, DO, Lydia M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,610,924 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/203 Simultaneous scanning of two or more separate pictures , e.g. two sides of the same sheet refeeding a sheet for double-sided scanning H04N1/00572
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2036 of a plurality of pictures corresponding to a single side of a plurality of media

Abstract

A mechanism for scanning and capturing digital images using document layer detection. Upon detecting a document placed on a scanning surface of a scanning device, the illustrative embodiments identify one or more layers within the document. The illustrative embodiments then scan the one or more layers within the document on a layer by layer basis.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for scanning a document, the computer implemented method comprising:

detecting a document placed on a scanning surface of a scanning device;

identifying one or more layers within the document; and

scanning, by the scanning device, the one or more layers within the document on a layer by layer basis.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing each scanned layer as a separate file in memory.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more layers comprises a specific depth of field in the document.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 3, wherein identifying one or more layers within the document further comprises:

detecting lighting variations within the document; and

associating each detected lighting variation to a particular layer in the one or more layers within the document.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more layers comprises a specific color in the document.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 5, wherein identifying one or more layers within the document further comprises:

detecting wavelengths of light reflected from the document; and

associating each detected wavelength alight to a particular layer in the one or more layers within the document.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more layers comprises a specific type of content in the document.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 7, wherein identifying one or more layers within the document further comprises:

detecting various types of content within the document;

associating each detected type of content to a particular layer in the one or more layers within the document.

9. A data processing system for scanning a document, the data processing system comprising:

a bus;

a storage device connected to the bus, wherein the storage device contains computer usable code; and

a processing unit connected to the bus, wherein the processing unit executes the computer usable code to detect a document placed on a scanning surface of a scanning device;

identify one or more layers within the document; and

scan the one or more layers within the document on a layer by layer basis.

10. The data processing system of claim 9, wherein each of the one or more layers comprises a specific depth of field in the document.

11. A computer program product for scanning a document, the computer program product comprising:

a computer usable storage medium having computer usable program code stored thereon, the computer usable program code comprising;

computer usable program code for detecting a document placed on a scanning surface of a scanning device;

computer usable program code for identifying one or more layers within the document; and

computer usable program code for scanning the one or more layers within the document on a layer by layer basis.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

computer usable program code for storing each scanned layer as a separate file in memory.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein each of the one or more layers comprises a specific depth of field in the document.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the computer usable program code for identifying one or more layers within the document further comprises:

computer usable program code for detecting lighting variations within the document; and

computer usable program code for associating each detected lighting variation to a particular layer in the one or more layers within the document.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein each or the one or more layers comprises a specific color in the document.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the computer usable program code for identifying one or more layers within the document further comprises:

computer usable program code for detecting wavelengths of light reflected from the document; and

computer usable program code for associating each detected wavelength of light to a particular layer in the one or more layers within the document.

17. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein each of the one or more layers comprises a specific type of content in the document.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer usable program code for identifying one or more layers within the document further comprises:

computer usable program code for detecting various types of content within the document;

computer usable program code for associating each detected type of content to a particular layer in the one or more layers within the document.

19. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer usable program code is stored in a computer readable storage medium in a data processing system, and wherein the computer usable program code is downloaded over a network from a remote data processing system.

20. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer usable program code is stored in a computer readable storage medium in a server data processing system, and wherein the computer usable program code is downloaded over a network from a remote data processing system for use in a computer readable storage medium with the remote system.